Archive for November, 2009

…Kati’s ponies. They’re back. I enjoyed the evolution of her hair this past year but I must say, I missed the ponies and now they’re back and they’re oh-so-sweet. Remember this:

She used to love it when I would take the time to curl all her hair so I was very surprised when she actually went through with cutting it all to donate to Locks of Love. It was adorable short though and we’ve really enjoyed the change of pace this past year.

But I’ve got to admit, as cute as it has been and as much as I love it on her, the ponies are way too cute and stopped Tim in his tracks when he came home from work that night.

…of Thanksgiving this year. Kaitlynn and I spent an afternoon late in August cutting out triangles, punching leaves and stringing things. It was to make this lovely garland that is hanging in our family room.

There is a triangle for every day in the month of November leading up to Thanksgiving. It looks pretty plain, right? Not anymore, right now, it’s half-way filled:

Yep, the third triangle from the right just got added to last night. Every night at dinner we discuss what we are grateful for. It can be about the day, life, anything you feel grateful for. Then we vote on what to write on a slightly smaller triangle that will be added to the garland. Sometimes someone feels very strongly about something and we don’t vote, they just get to put their thing up, like the time Alden didn’t wait for dinner and he went and wrote “My Mom” on a triangle. I wasn’t going to argue with that. I also didn’t argue when yesterday’s was written by my husband, “Every minute of every day of the last 15 years.” It was our anniversary. Some have been less meaningful though. Like the day Tim caulked our master bathroom after several requests to do so.

It’s been a good thing for our family and I highly recommend it to anyone who is wanting to slow down, look at the half full glass and enjoy what they’ve been given.

…tree in the world. It isn’t big. It isn’t old. But it’s the best tree in the world. It is in my front yard. We have the same type in the backyard too and while it’s beautiful as well, this is the best tree in the world. It is seen from my scrapbook room and when you’re in Powell’s room all you see is the puff of white, green or red depending on the time of year. It’s a dogwood tree. It’s the type of tree they say Jesus was hung on. What makes it so amazing is that it changes so vibrantly. Here it is in the Spring when it is first coming to life after a long, cold winter:

From buds to blooms…

I’m not so sure this picture does it justice as to how white it becomes. It is a literal puff of white. Here is the row of trees right when you round our corner heading to my dad’s house:

It’s just beautiful. When you look closely at the white leaves they have a small red cross on them. They spend most of the summer as green as the grass. It’s hard to believe something so white can turn into something so green. But then, in the fall, you can’t believe it can turn so RED. I should have taken the picture about a week ago but I kept walking by it and not following through (something about so much to do lately that I can’t keep a thought in my head longer than 30 seconds).

What else do you know of that changes with such ease and such grace on a yearly basis? It makes me think that as people we should strive for the same; not that we want to change everything about ourselves on a yearly basis but that we can embrace the change with grace and ease. That we don’t fight what is inevitable and we don’t press against whatever it is God is wanting to do in our lives. That is why I think it’s the best tree in the world.

….this is a predicion of the future (yes, I know she isn’t centered in the photo but when I cropped it for some reason I just couldn’t bring myself to crop Kodiak out..somehow, it’s part of the story):

And let’s hope this is not a prediction of the future (even though he’s still so darn cute I can hardly stand it):

(I am not ignoring my oldest child by omitting a photo of him. He was not home this weekend. He was in Missouri camping for 4 days and I missed the snot out of him but since his pneumonia had cleared I had no good reason to tell him he couldn’t go.)

Here’s a bit of advice. When you’re sitting down for a coveted few moments of quiet, you’re settled in comfortably under a soft blanket, the lighting is just right and you’re getting ready to start some hand sewing and your daughter comes in and asks for a project, DON’T BELIEVE THE PACKAGE.

It’s a marketing ploy people, I tell you, a marketing ploy thought up by power business people who don’t spend any time with 6 year olds. The manufacturers concoct these little kits and we buy them thinking our children will have so much fun. We look at the age recommendation and notice our child is a good 3 years older than the package indicates and decide it’s a good purchase. Then the moment arrives. The moment when it’s opened and you’re dying for it to be as simple as it’s proported to be. Nope. You then spend the coveted time reading directions, threading yarn and explaining each step in detail (of course this is after you’ve already completed step one because it’s entirely too difficult for any 9 year old let alone a 6 year old). So there it is. My two cents for the day. Don’t believe the packaging.

In all fairness though, now that the project is complete and hanging from her bedpost it does look quite cute and she is quite proud and it was something we did together….that is the upside of deceptive marketing.

Last Monday was Crazy Hair Day at A and K’s school. I didn’t think much of it. Just tried to do something silly with her hair (Alden’s hair is buzzed so there isn’t much to do there), get it to stay and then get to school on time. But when I dropped them off I was amazed. There were simple ‘dos, complicated ‘dos and ‘dos that made you take a second look. I instantly thought of all the mothers who woke up extra early, made it a priority to do their child’s hair and did the best they could. I was proud to be a mother in that moment. Proud that we work so hard to engage our children in silly things like Crazy Hair Day. Really, it’s not about the crazy hair. It’s about giving them a piece of ourselves, giving them our attention and letting them know that if it’s important to them, it’s important to us. Maybe it sounds silly but looking around that parking lot, I was really touched.